whirlpool
/'w :lpu:l/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A powerful circular current of water (usually the result of conflicting tides): A "whirlpool" is a strong, spinning movement of water in a river or the sea, often forming a funnel shape that can pull objects down into it.
Verb:
- To flow in a circular current, of liquids: To move with a rapid, spinning or swirling motion, like water going down a drain.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- The boat was caught in a dangerous whirlpool.
- Swimmers were warned about the whirlpool near the rocky point.
Verb:
- The water began to whirlpool as it drained from the bathtub.
- Leaves whirled and whirlpooled in the eddy of the stream.
Advanced Usage
"to be sucked into a whirlpool": To be drawn into a chaotic or uncontrollable situation, often used metaphorically.
- After the scandal, the company was sucked into a whirlpool of legal troubles.
"a whirlpool of activity/emotion": A state of intense, confused, or rapidly changing activity or feelings.
- The newsroom was a whirlpool of activity on election night.
- She felt caught in a whirlpool of conflicting emotions.
Variants and Related Words
Whirl (verb/noun): To spin or turn around rapidly; a rapid spinning movement.
- The dancer began to whirl across the stage.
Eddy (noun/verb): A circular movement of water, air, or smoke causing a small whirlpool or whirlwind; to move in such a circular way.
- An eddy formed behind the rock in the river.
Maelstrom (noun): A powerful whirlpool; often used metaphorically for a situation of great violence, confusion, or chaos.
- The political debate descended into a maelstrom of accusations.
Synonyms
- Vortex: A mass of whirling fluid or air, like a whirlpool or whirlwind.
- Swirl: A twisting or spiraling movement.
- Charybdis: (From Greek mythology) A dangerous whirlpool personified as a sea monster; often used poetically or metaphorically for an inescapable destructive force.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions
- Whirl around: To turn or spin around quickly.
- She whirled around when she heard her name.
Related Idioms
- "Down the drain": Wasted or lost. While not containing "whirlpool," it relates to the vortex-like action of water draining, which is similar to a small whirlpool.
- All our hard work went down the drain when the project was canceled.
Noun
- a powerful circular current of water (usually the result of conflicting tides)
Verb
- flow in a circular current, of liquids